Part 49 (1/2)

”Yes,” replied I; ”it will look as if we really were Frenchmen.” The gun was fired, and we continued to stand towards them with a good breeze. About seven o'clock we were within two miles, and then we observed the Englishman haul down her colours, and the schooner immediately went alongside, and took possession. I continued to run down, and in half an hour was close to her. Calling up the boarders, I laid the brig alongside the schooner; as half her men were on board the Indiaman, they were taken by surprise, and we gained possession with very trifling loss on our side, much to the astonishment of the crew of the privateer, as well as that of the Indiaman.

The captain, who was on deck, informed me that they had engaged the schooner for nine hours, and that he had some hopes of beating her off, until he saw me come down under French colours, upon which he felt that further resistance was vain. I told him I was afraid the schooner would escape, if I had not deceived him, and complimented him upon his vigorous defence. The schooner was a very fine vessel, mounting fourteen guns, and of three hundred tons burthen. In fact, she was quite as large as the Diligente.

While we were handing the prisoners over to the brig, and securing them, I accepted the invitation of the captain of the Indiaman to go into the cabin with him, where I found a large party of pa.s.sengers, chiefly ladies, who were very loud in their thanks for my rescue. In another hour we were all ready. I left a party on board the Indiaman to repair damages, and my surgeon to a.s.sist the wounded men, and hauled off the brig and schooner. The latter I gave into the charge of Tommy Dott, and we all made sail.

As I was walking the quarter-deck, delighted with my success, Cross, who had the watch and was by my side, said, ”I think, Captain Keene, you did very right in hoisting French colours.”

”Why, yes, Cross,” replied I; ”she is a very fast sailer, that is evident, and she might have escaped us.”

”That's not what I mean, Captain Keene.”

”What then, Cross?”

”Why, sir, I would not tell you why I wished you to hoist French colours at the time, because I was afraid that, if I did, you would not have done so; but my reason was, that it would make a great difference in our prize-money, and I want some, if you do not.”

Even then I could not imagine what Cross meant, for it never came into my head, and I turned round and looked at him for an explanation.

”Why, Captain Keene, if we had hoisted English colours, the schooner would have made sail and gone off, and, even if she had not done so, the Indiaman would have held out till we came down; but as he hauled down his colours, and was taken possession of by the enemy, he now becomes a recapture, and I expect the salvage of that Indiaman will be of more value to us than two or three of such schooners.”

”That certainly did not enter my head when I hoisted the colours, Cross, I must confess.”

”No, sir, that I saw it did not, but it did mine.”

”It's hardly fair, Cross.”

”Quite fair, sir,” replied Bob. ”The Company is rich, and can afford to pay, and we want it in the first place, and deserve it in the next. At all events, it's not upon your conscience, and that schooner is such a clipper, that I really think we should have lost her, if she had run for it; besides, as she is as strong as we are, we might have lost a good many men before we took her.”

”That's very true, Bob,” replied I, ”and satisfies me that I was right in what I did.”

The wind had sprung up much fresher from the westward, and we were now all three running with a fair wind; and as it continued, we did not put into Plymouth, but continued our course for Portsmouth, and on the third day, at a very early hour in the morning, anch.o.r.ed at Spithead.

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE.

As it was too soon to present myself to the admiral, I dressed, ready to go on sh.o.r.e, and hoisted the number of the Diligente as given by the admiral at Jamaica; but, as I expected, it was not known to the guard-s.h.i.+p, and there was much surmise among the early risers as to what might be the large s.h.i.+p, schooner, and brig-of-war, which had entered.

We had just finished the was.h.i.+ng of the decks, and I was standing aft with Cross, who had the morning watch, when he observed to me, ”Captain Keene, we are now at anchor as near as possible to where the Calliope was when you went adrift in the boat with poor Peggy. Some difference between your situation now and then.”

”Yes, Bob,” replied I; ”I was thinking the same when I was dressing this morning, and I was also thinking that you would be very anxious to go on sh.o.r.e--so you may take a boat as soon as you please; I will order one to be given to you.”

”Thankey, sir. I am a little anxious to see the poor girl, and I think matters will go smooth now.”

”I hope so, with all my heart. Let the gigs be all dressed and cleaned, and the boat manned at six bells. Pa.s.s the word for them to get their breakfast.”

As it was better that I should wait for the admiral's getting up, than that he should wait for me, I was on sh.o.r.e, and up at the office at half-past seven o'clock, and found that the admiral was in his dressing-room. The secretary was there, and I delivered my orders and despatches, with which he went up to the admiral. In about a quarter of an hour he came down again with the port-admiral's request that I would wait for him, and stay to breakfast. The secretary remained with me, extracting all the West India intelligence that I could give him.

As soon as the admiral made his appearance, he shook me warmly by the hand. ”Captain Keene,” said he, ”I wish you joy: I see you are following up your career in the West Indies. We know you well enough by the despatches, and I am glad to be personally acquainted with you.

This last business will, I have no doubt, give you the next step, as soon as you have been a little longer as commander. Mr Charles, desire them to make the signal for the Diligente and schooner to come into harbour. The Indiaman may, of course, do as he pleases. Now then, for breakfast.”

The admiral, of course, asked me as many questions as the secretary, and ended, as I rose to take my leave, in requesting the pleasure of my company to dinner on that day. As the reader may suppose, I had every reason to be satisfied with my reception.